Published: 18 Jun 2026
We were thrilled to welcome 1,211 young people from 39 schools across 21 London boroughs and beyond...
On Wednesday 10th June, Go Live Theatre, EMG and Runway Entertainment collaborated on an Education Matinee of The Hunger Games: On Stage at the Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre.
Go Live Theatre invited state secondary schools, SEND specialist schools and Pupil Referral Units for an afternoon of extraordinary stunts and epic illusions. This was the first time Go Live Theatre have collaborated with The Hunger Games and there was a very strong uptake, with this schools-only performance selling out in just two hours!
This Education Matinee proved to be a success with 100% of teachers stating the experience met their expectations and 97% of pupils expressing an interest in returning to the theatre:
- 37% of the pupils attended the theatre for the first time
- 62% of the pupils that attended are from a Global Majority background
- 46% of the pupils that attended have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)
- 36% of the pupils that attended had English as an Additional Language (EAL)
Teacher Testimonials highlighted that the subsidised pricing removed vital financial barriers and that the production provided excellent creative inspiration for arts education in school:
“The ability to allow young people to access the performing arts is pivotal to my teaching practise. Drama is a pathway to allow students with learning differences to make sense of the world around them and to build social and emotional skills beyond the basic subject. Accessing high-quality theatre excels this process beyond measure. Thank you for your partnerships with schools to allow us to jointly make this possible for the children whose lives we all impact.”
“Fantastic to give students to watch a big budget show for a reduced cost. To watch the students’ eyes light up when watching the show.”
“Thank you so much for this opportunity to take students to the theatre. The subsidised ticket price really helps us to give our students the opportunity to access high-quality theatre as without this most students would struggle to be able to afford the cost of going on a trip. The warm welcome from staff at the venue also goes a long way to helping us encourage students to access live theatre as many of our students come from backgrounds without a tradition of accessing theatre and/or other cultural experiences.”
Student feedback showed the impact of live theatre and how important opening access to these experiences is for future theatre-going audiences:
“I didn’t know the theatre was like that. That’s not boring.”
“Shocked me when the seats moved for the first time. I can’t believe how close we were and the fact that people walked down the stairs near where I sat. Was really confused when it ended before they went into the arena, but then my teacher explained that it was the interval. I loved the use of fire! I could feel the heat! And all the blood and fighting was really cool!”
“It was so good, I didn’t even eat my snacks – I was too scared to miss anything.”
The Education Matinee of The Hunger Games: On Stage successfully broke down financial and cultural barriers for 1,211 students across London and the surrounding counties. With a sold-out performance, where 37% were seeing a show for the first time, and positive feedback from teachers and students alike, this initiative fully met its goals of impact and engagement.
Huge thanks to everyone involved with The Hunger Games: On Stage for making this programme possible.
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📸 Photo Credit: Johan Persson
